Roller skate toe stops

ABSTRACT

A roller skate is provided having in combination a skate frame and front wheel truck with a downwardly depending support boss and a socket assembly, a front axle housing having an upwardly extending brace member engageable in the socket of the truck, an integral forwardly extending arm carrying a stop member and a rearwardly projecting lug on the housing receiving a shock absorbing member and mounting screw whereby the housing is fixed to the depending lug of the front wheel truck.

United States Patent 11 1 Aranson N0v. 20, 1973 ROLLER SKATE TOE STOPS Primary Examiner-Kenneth H. Betts Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith l ts h, [75] Inventor g c i Pa AttorneyBuel1, Blenko & Z1esenheun [73] Assignee: Joel C. Aranson, Milton H. Aranson h and Ira I Hn'sc ABSTRACT [22] F1led: Sept. 20, 1971 l k d d h b A roler s ate is provi e aving in com ination a [21] Appl' 181707 skate frame and front wheel truck with a downwardly depending support boss and a socket assembly, a front [52] US. Cl. 280/1l.2 axle housing having an upwardly extending brace [51] Int. Cl. A631: 7/14 member engageable in the socket of the truck, an inte- [5 8] Field of Search 280/ 1 1.2, 11.28 gral forwardly extending arm carrying a stop member and a rearwardly projecting lug on the housing receiv- [56] References Cited ing a shock absorbing member and mounting screw UNITED STATES PATENTS whereby the housing is fixed to the depending lug of 2,899,209 3 1959 Ryenolds et a1. 280/112 the fmmwheel truck 3,180,651 4/1965 Ware 280/112 3,028,171 4/1962 Davis 280/112 1 Claim 4 Dm'mg Figures 2,664,295 12/1953 Van Horn 280/112 UX INVENTOR Joel C. Aronson ROLLER SKATE TOE STOPS This invention relates to roller skate toe stops and particularly to a brace element and toe stop combination for roller skates.

It is common in the art of roller skating to attach to the forward portion of the conventional shoe type roller skate a braking member or stop to aid the skater in executing intricate maneuvers such as dance steps. Since the entire body weight of the skater coupled in many cases with a considerable amount of kinetic energy must be supported by the toe stop during quick stops, take-offs and various intricate FIGURES used in intricate FIGURE skating, it is essential that the toe stop be strong and resistant to fracture and distortion.

There have been many attempts made to provide a toe stop which could be attached to a conventional roller skate, however these attachments require intricate mechanisms for attaching to the brace member of the skate. These devices required various universal type clamps to be used on the variety of skates now available on the market. As a result they are not only likely to be insecurely fastened but they also transmit all of the forces of a sudden stop onto the brace members of the skate which are not designed for this additional loadmg.

I have developed a skate structure and particularly a toe stop structure which eliminates these problems. The structure of my invention provides a toe stop which is integral with a universal front brace member and axle housing which can be quickly and easily applied to a conventional skate structure having a downwardly depending supporting boss and a socket assembly.

Preferably I provide in combination with a roller skate frame and front truck, said truck having a downwardly depending boss and a socket assembly, the improvement comprising a front axle housing having an upwardly extending brace member, said brace member being provided with an end portion engageable in the socket of said truck and having a forwardly projecting arm, a stop member on said arm and a rearwardly projecting lug receiving a shock absorbing member and mounting screw whereby the housing is attached to the front truck of the roller skate. Preferablythe forwardly projecting arm is provided with stop engaging portion having a generally planer face with a central opening and radially extending raised ribs, generally star shaped to engage the toe stop to prevent its rotation.

In the foregoing general description I have set out certain objects, purposes and advantages of this invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a roller skate having the toe stop and axle housing of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the toe stop and axle housing of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the toe stop and axle housing of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the toe stop and axle housing of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a rigid sole plate 10 of a conventional roller skate attached to the sole ll of a shoe 12. The sole plate 10 carries a front truck 13 and a rear truck (not shown). The two trucks are connected together by a tie member 14, preferably connected intermediate its ends to the sole plate 14 by a rivet in conventional manner. The front wheel truck 13 is attached to the sole plate by appropriate fastening means l6a such as rivets. The truck 13 consists of a base 16, a depending support boss 17 and a depending socket 18. The axle housing 20 has a passage for axle 21 and a rearwardly extending lug 22 adopted to carry shock absorbing member 23 and bolt 24 which extends axially of the shock absorbing mem-, her into support boss 17. The axle housing also carries an upwardly extending brace member 25 provided with a hemispherical ball end 26 replaceable pin engageable in the socket 18 of truck 13 and with a forwardly projecting arm 27 having on its forward end a stop engaging portion 28 provided with a generally planer surface 29 formed thereon against which a resilient stop element 30 abuts. The stop element 30 is preferably of rubber or some similar resilient material having a high coefficient of friction. The stop element is provided with a central bore 31 receiving a bolt or screw 32 which engages a threaded hole 33 in the stop engaging portion 28. Preferably, the planer surface 29 is provided with a raised radial rib design 35 in the general shape of a star which engages the bottom surface of the toe stop element 30 and prevents its relative. rotation with respect to the surface 29. This provides greater control and safety than a planer surface.

Preferably the housing is cast from aluminum, although it may be made of steel or other suitable material.

While I have illustrated and described a presently preferred embodiment of my invention in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a roller skate having a frame and a front truck, said front truck having a downwardly depending boss and a socket assembly, the improvement comprising a front axle housing having an upwardly extending brace member, said brace member having a replaceable ball end portion engageable in the socket of said truck, a forwardly projecting arm integral with said brace member, a stop member on said arm and a rearwardly projecting lug on said housing receiving a shoc k absorbing member and mounting screw whereby said housing is fixed to said depending boss, said projecting arm carrying a stop engaging portion having a generally planar face with stop engaging ribs thereon in the form of a star periphery. 

1. In combination with a roller skate having a frame and a front truck, said front truck having a downwardly depending boss and a socket assembly, the improvement comprising a front axle housing having an upwardly extending brace member, said brace member having a replaceable ball end portion engageable in the socket of said truck, a forwardly projecting arm integral with said brace member, a stop member on said arm and a rearwardly projecting lug on said housing receiving a shock absorbing member and mounting screw whereby said housing is fixed to said depending boss, said projecting arm carrying a stop engaging portion having a generally planar face with stop engaging ribs thereon in the form of a star periphery. 